Delivering single engine aircraft to Europe and beyond?

[Flyin Tony]

http://www.maxconrad.com/

http://www.southpolestation.com/trivia/igy2/conrad/conrad1.html

 

[Flyin Tony]

A Summary of Max Conrad's history

• 50, 000 hours in the air, the equivalent to about six years
• Nearly 200 solo flights across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
• First light plane flight New York to Paris in 1954 since Lindbergh
• Set an intercollegiate high jump record of 6 feet 8 1/2 inches in 1931 at the age of 28
• Taught more than 3000 people to fly
• Saved a number of lives in the 1940 Armistice Day blizzard
• Wrote book describing his Atlantic crossings, "Green Water"
• Trained 44 airline captains in his Civilian Trainers Program in the 40"s -more than 350 Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine pilots and 56 licensed mechanics
• Broke almost every record possible in a light plane including around the world in eight days


WOW

 

[Cat Driver]

Oh hell I might as well keep this thread going so..

The longest ferry flight I have done to deliver an airplane was with a PBY from Jo- Berg, South Africa via Malawi, Kenya, DiJoubiti, Saudia Arabia, Egypt, Crete, Italy, Corsica, France, England, Scotland, Iceland, Greenland, Goose Bay, Bangor Main, Conneticut, Norfolk Virginia.

Cant remember how many hours but it was a lot....However the longest non stop I ever did in a PBY was 19 hours and 10 minutes in 1968...f.ck I must be getting old.

Cat

 

[VNugget]

If you're looking for more ferry stories, check out Air Vagabonds.

I've been meaning to read it, but haven't yet.

 

[Flightjock30]

I have always been very jealous of people who have made amazing accomplishments in life in more than one field. For example an All-American college athlete who is also an outstanding college student and who is also good looking and popular! Or a pilot who has flown their entire lives and was also a successful entrepreneur, etc. They get to enjoy the best things in life! Some people are just truly gifted. Max Conrad being one of them in the aviation field.

 

[Lead Sled]

Oh hell I might as well keep this thread going so..

The longest ferry flight I have done to deliver an airplane was with a PBY from Jo- Berg, South Africa via Malawi, Kenya, DiJoubiti, Saudia Arabia, Egypt, Crete, Italy, Corsica, France, England, Scotland, Iceland, Greenland, Goose Bay, Bangor Main, Conneticut, Norfolk Virginia.

Cant remember how many hours but it was a lot....However the longest non stop I ever did in a PBY was 19 hours and 10 minutes in 1968...f.ck I must be getting old.

Cat...
I've finally figured you out - it's all those ferry flights in PBYs. 25K hours? That makes perfect sense now. If you would have done that flying in jets you'd have what, about 6,000 hours?

I envy you. One of my friends was a Navy Black Cat pilot. I could have listened to his stories forever. These were amazing aircraft flown by amazing crews.

My dream airplane is an Albatross followed closely by the PBY.

'Sled

 

[Clutch_Cargo]

I envy you. One of my friends was a Navy Black Cat pilot. I could have listened to his stories forever. These were amazing aircraft flown by amazing crews.

My dream airplane is an Albatross followed closely by the PBY.

'Sled

Agreed 'Sled... I'm more than a little envious too. I always thought that if I had money to burn the PBY would be one to check out in. I've got a print of a PBY cruising over some burnt orange clouds called "Looking for Nagumo." Guess I'll have to settle for sitting in my office and staring at it!

cc

 

[User546]

During WWII a PBY was flying off Greenland in the clouds, when their airspeed dropped rapidly to zero. Full power was applied to no avail. The were on a Glacier.

Yea I remember reading about that one time. They weren't descending though (atleast purposely). What had happened is they had trimmed it out for straight and level flight. And as the time rolled away, they weren't paying much attention to the altimeter, when all of a sudden their airspeed dropped to zero, and they was no more motion to the aircraft - just the droning of the propellors outside. The rest, you can pretty much figure out!

 

[nikoz1200]

Here are some pics from my Florida to China trip from last month. Enjoy

www.photonick.net/gallery3

 

[Bryan D]

If you're looking for more ferry stories, check out Air Vagabonds.

I've been meaning to read it, but haven't yet.

It's a good read. I was surprised at the end to find out that one of the ferry pilots in this book was the pilot killed in Reba McIntire's plane in California.